July 2 piano gala to honor Elon alum

Elon University plays host on Wednesday to the Eastern Music Festival’s Steinway Piano Gala, which will honor Esther C. Kernodle ‘36, who along with members of her family has been a longtime supporter of both the university and the festival. The concert begins at 8 p.m. on July 2, 2008, in McCrary Theatre.

Tickets are now on sale in the Center for the Arts Box Office. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 12:30-5 p.m. Elon students, faculty and staff – and the immediate families of all employees – may receive free tickets.

The popular concert, where two pianos will be on stage, features four members of the Eastern Music Festival’s piano faculty, all outstanding performers. The program includes a combination of solo works, duo-piano, and eight hand.
 
CHRISTINA DAHL, piano
JAMES GILES, piano
YOSHIKAZU NAGAI, piano
GIDEON RUBIN, piano


This year’s concert will be the eighth Steinway Piano Gala at Elon. The last “piano gala” in this format was in 2005. The 2006 and 2007 events were chamber performances, making the upcoming concert a program that many people have asked to see again.

The Steinway Piano Gala evolved from a 1998 piano concert honoring the memory of Dr. John R. Kernodle, Esther’s husband, and the couple’s son, John R. Kernodle, Jr.

All concert proceeds benefit Eastern Music Festival’s Student Scholarship Program.